Draw-bar-centering mechanism.



F. S. GALLAGHER.

DRAW BAR CENTERlNG-MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED ocT.30.19o5.

1,156,283. Patented Oet. 12, 1915-.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patented 0131.12, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 F. S. GALLAGHER.

DRAW BAR CENTERING MECHANISM.

APPLxcATloN FILED ocT so 1905 FREDERICK S. GALLAGHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY IJIESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO WAUGI-I DRAFT GEAR COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DRAW-BAR-CENTERING .MECHANISIVL Specification of Letters Patent. y

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

Application filed October 30, 1905. Serial No. 285,125.

T 0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK S. GALLA- Gnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invent-ed certain new and useful Improvements in Draw-Bar-Centering Mechanisms, of which the following is specification.

This invention relates to draft appliances for railway cars, and pertains more especially to that class of appliances employed in connection with draw-bars having side clearance for the purpose of centering the draw-bars and coupler heads and automatically maintaining them -in proper position for coupling.

Draw-bar centering devices have hitherto taken the form of spring-actuated means secured to the draft-sills or other parts of the underframe and pressing against the side of the draw-bar, one result of this arrangement being that a considerable wear ensues between the contacting parts, owing to the fact that the centering means does not partake of the longitudinal movement of the draw-bar, and consequently rubs the same.

One feature of the present invention resides in the attachment of the centeringl invention it is further characterized by the fact that the centering means operates ybetween the draw-bar extension and the draw-V bar, using one of said parts as an abutment, and exerting a lateral thrust or pull upon the other. In the preferred form of this latter arrangement. the centering means employs the draw-bar extension as an abutment, and exerts a lateral thrust upon the draw-bar, the thrust member in one form being pivoted concentrically with the pivotal connection between the draw-bar and draw-bar eXtension, whereby all relative sliding movement between the draw-bar and thrust member is avoided.

My invention will be readily understood when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the same, and wherein,-

Figure l is a top plan View of a portion of a draw-bar shank and its yoke or extension having an approved form of my centering device applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 isa side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan View of a modified form employing a single spring; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. t; Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a slightly modified form of thevdevice shown in Fig. 1; Fig. Sis a cross-sectional View on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is a top plan View of a still further modification wherein the springs act directly upon the sides of the draw-bar; Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view on the line 11- -l1 of Fig. 10; and Fig. 12 is a side elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 10.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, 15 may designate the usual draw-bar stem or shank, which has a pivotal connection through a pivot-pin 16 with the adjacenty end of the usual draw-bar eXtension or yoke 17, the usual front follower being indicated at 18. The outer end of the yoke 17 is eX- tended beyond the pivot-pin above and below the draw-bar stem, as shown at 19.

20 and 21 designate as entireties a pair of companion members that are arranged to embrace the sides of the draw-bar and yoke extension, and through which the thrust of the centering springs is exerted. These members consist of inversely arranged castings in substantially duplicate form, except that one is preferably somewhat deeper laterally than the other, said castings in their preferred form having upright side walls 2O'LL and 21 and inwardly oifset upper and lower projections 20b and 21b at their upper and lower ends. These upper and lower projecting walls are apertured to receive transverse bolts 22, these latter being provided at their ends with suitable heads, nuts or other forms of spring abutments, designated by Surrounding each of the bolts 22 above and below the inwardly offset portions of the member 20 are a pair of coil springs 24, these springs being confined endwise between the nuts 28 and the vertical sides of the inwardly offset projections 20h. The member 2l has a pair of rearwardly extending arn s 25 that terminate in centrally apertured hinge-plates 26, pivotally supported upon pin 16. rldhe heads of the bolts 22 lying on the side occupied by member 21 abut directly against the vertical inwardly ofi'set extensions 21b of said member, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. By reason of this construction it will be seen that the two thrust members 20 and 21 are capable of a limited swinging` movement around the draw-bar pivot-pin 16, and are normally thrust toward each other and against the sides of the draw-bar and yoke extension by the combined force of the springs 24 acting together; the member 2O being guided on the bolts 22.

1n the operation of the device, assuming that the draw-bar is swung to the right in Fig. 2, the upper and lower extensions 201 of the member 2O will tend to compress the springs 24, which force will be transmitted through the nuts 23 on the same side, the bolts, the heads 23 on the opposite side, and the member 21 to the lett hand side or edge of the yoke, which latter, of course, is confined against substantial and lateral movement between the usual draft-sills and follower stops, said draw-bar extensions thus constituting the ultimate abutments of the spring action, and the energy of the compressed springs 24C acting, as soon as the deflecting influence is withdrawn, to return the draw-bar to the central position. Then the draw-bar is deflected to the left, as shown in Fig. 2, substantially the same action occurs, except that the springs are compressed from the opposite or outer ends, the path of the force being from member 21 through the heads 28 in the same side, the bolts 22, the nuts 23 on the opposite side, the

springs 24C, and the thrust member 2O to the right hand edge of the draw-bar extension, and the expansion of said springs, when the deflecting influence is withdrawn, acting to draw the draw-bar back to central position in substantial alinement with the yoke.

The above described construction is modified in Figs. 1l to G, inclusive, by the employment of a single spring in lieu of a pair of springs, the spring action being transmitted through a rod or bolt passed'directly through the thrust members and the drawbar itself. 1n this form of the invention, 27 and 28 designate the thrust members which lie against the opposite and vertical sides of the draw-bar and the edges of the yoke extensions and at their lower ends have inwardly turned extensions 27n and 28CL engaging the under side of the lower yoke extensions to prevent angular movement of the thrust members. 29 designates a bolt that is passed through apertures in the draw-bar and thrust members, said bolt projecting for some distance to one side of one of the members 27 and 28 and carrying a washer 30 abutting against the head 29L1 of the bolt; said washer having an inwardly projecting boss 30 and itself constituting an abutment for one end of a Coil spring 3l, the opposite end of said spring abutting against the outer side of the thrust member 27, being preferably centered around a laterally projecting boss 27h of said thrust member. At its opposite end the bolt 29 has one or more nuts 32 that engage the outer side of the thrust member 28. ln the operation of this form'of the invention, when the draw-bar is swung to the right, as shown in Fig. 5, the spring 3l is compressed against the washer 30, the latter being anchored to the head 29, bolt 29, nuts and thrust member 28 against the edges of the yoke extensions at the left. -W hen the draw-bar is defiected to the left, as shown in Fig. 5, the spring 3l. is compressed from the opposite end, the force being exerted from the thrust member 28 through the nuts 32, bolt 29, head 29, washer 30, spring 31, and thrust member 27, against the edges of the draw-bar extensions on the right. ln both cases the expansion of the spring obviously operates to force the draw-bar back to central position in substantial alinement with the yoke.

The modification shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 differs from the form of the invention .represented in Figs. l, 2 and 3 only in respect to the employment of a straight or fiat thrust member 33 on one side, the companion thrust member 3e alone being inwardly olfset through approximately the full width of the draw-bar, thus affording greater room for the springs directly above and below the draw-bar; and in the further respect that, instead of hinging either or both of the thrust members to the pivot-pin connecting the draw-bar and draw-bar extension, said members are confined against longitudinal movement by means of the stop plates 35 secured to the upper and lower faces of the yoke extensions as by means of rivets 36.

The form of the invention represented in Figs. 10, 11 and l2 differs somewhat from the previously described forms in that, while a pair of springs are employed, said springs act substantially independently, rather than together, one of them serving to return the draw-bar when deflected to `)ne side, and the other returning the draw-bar when deflected to the opposite side; both of said springs, however, having an ultimate abutment on the yoke extension. Referring more specifically to these views, 37 designates as an entirety a spring abutment casing secured to and disposed transversely of the extensions of the draw-bar yoke, this member, more specifically, consisting of a pair of oppositely disposed hollow spring housings 37a closed at the outer ends and connected above and below by bridge elements 37b, which latter are secured to the upper and lower eX- tcnsions of the draw-bar yoke as by rivets 3S. Within the housings 37a are located coil springs 39, which abut at their outer ends against the abutments or closed ends of the housings 37 and at their inner ends abut directly against the sides of the draw-bar. In the operation of this form of the invention, when the draw-bar is deflected to either side the spring on that side is compressed, being resisted by he end or bottom walls of the housings 37a, which latter in turn are anchored to the upper and lower yoke extensions through the bridge elements 37b. The two springs 39 are of equal strength and resistance capacity, and are both preferably under partial compression when the draw-bar is centered between them.

1t is evident that the principle and characteristic features of the invention might be embodied in still other forms of devices differing specifically and in detail more or less from those herein shown; and hence l do not limit the invention to the particular mechanisms described and shown, except to the extent .indicated in specific claims.

I claim:

1. ln a draft-rigging mechanism, the combination with a draw-bar and a yoke pivotally connected to the shank of said drawbar, of a draw-bar centering means pivotally connected to said yoke and operating laterally upon the draw-bar, substantially as described.

2. In a draft-rigging mechanism, the combination with a draw-bar and a yoke pivotally connected to the shank of said draw-bar, of a draw-bar centering means pivotally mounted concentric with the pivotal connection of said draw-bar and yoke and operating laterally upon the draw-bar, substantially as described.

3. In a draft-rigging mechanism, the combination with a draw-bar and a yoke pivotally connected to the shank of said drawbar, of a draw-bar centering means connected to said yoke and operating laterally upon the draw-bar upon the outer side faces thereof, substantially as described.

Ll. 1n a draft-rigging mechanism, the combination with a draw-bar and aI yoke pivotally connected to the shank of said draw-bar, of a drawebar centering means connected to said yoke and including a spring located at least in part inwardly of a vertical wall of the draw-bar shank and outwardly of a horizontal wall of said shank, substantially las described.

5. In a draft-rigging mechanism, the combination with a draw bar and a yoke pivotally connected to the shank of said draw bar, of thrust means comprising a member pivoted coincident with the pivotal connection of the yoke and draw bar and a second member separably carried by the first member, said thrust members lying on opposite sides of the yoke and draw bar and spring means tending to draw said separable members together.

G. In a draft-rigging mechanism, the combina-tion with a draw bar shank and a yoke, of a pair of centering members arranged on .opposite sides of said yoke and shank, a

spring, and a bolt carrying said spring, said bolt having a head engaging one of said centering members and a head forming a seat for the spring, substantially as described.

7. In a draft-rigging mechanism the combination with a draw bar shank and a yoke, of a pair of centering members arranged on opposite sides of said yoke and shank and extending toward each other above and below said parts, springs above and below said yoke and shank, and members carrying said springs, each of said spring-carrying members having a head at one end abutting one of the centering members and a head at its opposite end forming a sea-t lfor the spring, substantially as described.

8. In a centering device for draw-bars, the combination with a thrust member adapted to move the draw-bar laterally, of actuating springs for said thrust member located above and below the draw-bar, and an abutment member for said springs, substantially as described.

9. Thev combination with a draw-bar, of a draw-bar extension to which said draw-bar is connected with vcapacity for lateral swinging movement, said draw-bar eXtension having portions extending forwardly of the point of connection of the draw-bar both above and below the latter, and a draw-bar centering device engaging both of said forwardly extending portions of said draw-bar extension, substantially as described.

10. In a draft rigging mechanism, the combination with a draw bar and a yoke pivotally connected to the shank of said draw bar, of a draw bar centering member mounted upon said pivot and operating laterally upon one side of the draw bar, and a second centering member separably carried by the first member and operating laterally upon the other side of the draw bar, and yielding means tending to draw said members together, substantially as described.

11. 1n a draft rigging mechanism, the combination with a pivotally connected dlaw bei" shank and yoke, of a pair of oenteiing member-s arranged on opposite sides of said yoke and shank, and means tending to draw said members together, one only of said members pvoted coincident with the pivotal mounting of the shank and yoke, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two Witnesses.

FREDERICK S. GALLAGI-IER.

fitnesses SAMUEL N. POND, FREDERICK C. GOODWIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

